Bucharest: Former world No. 1 Simona Halep has announced her retirement from tennis after her first-round defeat to Lucia Bronzetti at the Transylvania Open on Tuesday. Halep, a two-time Grand Slam champion, shared her decision to step away from competitive tennis, expressing that the demands of the sport have become too great for her at this point in her career.

According to Philippines News Agency, Halep stated, “I’m making this decision with my soul. I’ll come to the tennis here as often as I can and of course I will continue to play – but to be competitive it requires much more and at this moment it is no longer.” The 33-year-old Romanian reflected on her career achievements, noting, “It’s a beautiful thing. I became world number one, I won Grand Slams, it’s all I wanted. Life goes on, there is life after tennis and I hope that we will see each other again.”

Previously, Halep had mentioned her struggles with continuing to play due to a persistent knee injury. Her career highlights include winning the French Open in 2018 and Wimbledon in 2019, marking significant milestones that contributed to her ascent to the top of the tennis world rankings.